


Seirene

by aderyn



Series: The Bird Diviner [5]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: 221B Ficlet, Alternate Universe, Bird women, Episode: s02e01 A Scandal in Belgravia, Mythology - Freeform, Seafaring boys, Women Being Awesome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-15
Updated: 2013-07-15
Packaged: 2017-12-20 07:15:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/884479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aderyn/pseuds/aderyn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They tumble over the threshold like the shipwrecks that they were<br/>Before they found each other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Seirene

_Shall I tell you the secret_  
 _and if I do, will you get me_  
 _out of this bird suit?—Margaret Atwood,  “Siren Song”_

 

The tide’s going out.

Molly prepares the nest for company

with brush and with burning.

One last look at her salt-white coverts,

at the beautiful dead things on the beach,

at the ripple of the ship

in the teeth of the reach.

They’re coming.

*******

Tall, with wave-wild hair.

Irish moss.

Shorter, sand in hair.

A following sea.

*******

They tumble over her threshold like the shipwrecks they are.

Or were, before they found each other.

And set sail.

*******

_Anchor_ , says Sherlock the stormy.

_Mainsail_ , says John the fair.

Point to each other like needles

at the lodestar.

*******

Driftwood. _Mucagan._

A candle at her table.

They’re hungry.

She’s the one with the song.

They can’t hear.

*******

A sigh. A single fallen feather.

She waves to their ship, the island hers again.

Calls to the sprites, _come out._

_Bring me a dead thing._

_My little mucan,_

_I’m lonely._

*******

A storm petrel close to land

Gives her a sign.

*******

The woman arrives a week later.

Alights on the beach like she owns it.

Gives the rocks a lick

with her wet whip.

***

_This island’s taken_ , Molly says.

_Ireni of the south wind,_

calls the woman,

_I like sirens,_

_or I know what they like._

_And we don’t need boys here, do we._

_Just us birds._

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> mucan Scottish Gaelic, pigs  
> mucagan, S.G., the hips or fruit of the dog rose.
> 
>  [ Seirenes!](http://www.theoi.com/Pontios/Seirenes.html)  
> [More of them](http://www.pantheon.org/articles/s/sirens.html)


End file.
